Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram
General Marshall to Colonel Marshall S. Carter
1907. Reference your 88993, my decision is to leave here Wednesday a.m. the 8th local calendar stopping over for rest in Honolulu. Request following White House announcement be made 24 hours earlier:
“The President has directed General Marshall to return to Washington to report in person on situation in China. He will probably leave Nanking tomorrow morning.”
In case there is a leak from out here, which is quite possible, make the announcement immediately correcting time element accordingly. I decided that the general effect out here would be better, first to have the shock of my immediate departure with its various implications, to be followed a few days later by the added shock of the January 10 announcement.